School Board Approves 2021/22 Budget

Employees receive one-time $1,500 stipend for
COVID-19 duties

By Eugenia Jones
eugenia@highland.net

During their May 24 regular meeting, the McCreary County Board of Education approved a tentative multi-million dollar budget along with a salary schedule for the Fiscal Year 2021/2022. Although across the board salary increases are not included in the 2021/2022 salary schedule, there are increases in the number of extended days (extra days of work) and extra service pay (based on percentage) for several District positions. Additionally, as securing substitute teachers and bus drivers has become more difficult, the budget reflects increases in pay for substitute teachers and some other classified positions. The total amount allotted for increases on the salary schedule is calculated at $265,845.70.
Additionally, the Board voted to approve a pro-rated (based on number of days worked), one-time stipend of $1,500 to all daily full-time employees for extra duties associated with COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 school year. The stipends are pending Kentucky Department of Education approval.
In other business, McCreary County School Superintendent Corey Keith read a letter from the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to Board Members. In the letter, KDE officials noted federal program compliance issues in the District have been corrected. The compliance issues with federal programs were discovered during a 2020 KDE monitoring visit to the district. As a result of correcting the compliance issues, specific reward conditions placed by KDE on the district’s applicable federal programs have been removed. The district is now in good standing with KDE regarding its federal funding and programs. The compliance issues discovered during the KDE monitoring visit occurred prior to Keith becoming McCreary County’s Superintendent of Schools.
In other business, District Board Members voted to approve all Senate Bill 128 Student Requests for a “do over” or supplemental year because of the loss of in-person instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately thirty students/parents requested an extra year of instruction.
The Board also approved the District’s facility plan. Districts are required to develop a facility plan every four years. The facility plan lists pending capital construction and/or renovation projects the school district may undertake and the priority order if applicable. The District will have a public hearing on the proposed district facility plan on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at the McCreary County Board of Education. Director of Pupil Personnel Clint Taylor was selected as the hearing officer.
The Board also approved several items by consent including:
• Approval of the sign language interpreting agreement for 2021/22.
• Approval of Lake Cumberland Community Action Agency Head Start agreement for 2021/22.
• Approval of summer school positions.
The McCreary County Board of Education meets in regular session monthly on the fourth Monday at 6:30 pm.